Stormtrooper
by Koelker12
Summary: What is it like for a Stormtrooper to think ideas that are against the machine of the Empire? Does he do as he is told, or does he take matters into his own hands. Short Story, oneshot. Original Trilogy.


**Stormtrooper**

by Jinchu

* * *

My name is Nick Clark. Or is it? Does anyone still retain a name after being enlisted. No. Names no longer existed for people like me. Now I am only TRB 142, a tiny disposable gear within the monstrous machine that is the Galactic Empire. 

"Formation Delta..." a voice uttered quietly inside my helmet. I acknowledged the command presumably from Captain Pryce, or YRT 657 to be correct.

Our squad moved through the grassy expansion slow but steady. The long yellow blades nearly touched the chin of my helmet. The Rebel Alliance was possibly here somewhere. Waiting. Behind us the sun was slowly sinking below the horizon. Soon it would be dark.

The Rebels had become a potent threat to the New Order. At least that was what I was instructed and forced to believe. Recently, others had been warning me of my outspoken ideas and told me that they would soon get me in trouble. I had high hopes for the Empire when had I first left Alderaan and volunteered. That was two days before my home was utterly destroyed by the Death Star. When the Rebels finally destroyed the station at Yavin IV, I didn't sympathize with those who had been aboard.

"Hold" said Pryce.

The squad stopped and sunk into the grass. Our squad happened to have drawn point that day, and the rest of the garrison was right on our heels. Just ahead was a small village. Our mission was to clear it of any Rebels or Rebel sympathizers. It was more likely we would come upon the latter, but intelligence reports revealed that this small village may hold a transmission center hidden in one of the homes. Destroying it would severely hamper Rebel communications within the sector.

The village was unsuspecting, innocent, and totally unaware of the danger it had fallen under. The wind blew gently in our direction, but we couldn't feel its soft caress under our armor. The clouds above seemed to ripen in warm colors. I waited patiently for further orders while my eyes wandered along the village rooftops. It was at that moment I spotted danger. A sniper sat perched upon a rooftop, eying a target through his scope. Undoubtedly his target was a careless stormtrooper about to give away our position.

"823...take him out" said Pryce.

Our squad's sniper specialist crept forward ahead of the pack according to orders. He steadied his T-28 rifle against his shoulder, aimed, and fired. A loud sort of sizzling crack echoed across the plain and the Rebel sniper fell from the roof.

"Go" said Pryce in a calm and authoritative voice.

The entire garrison stood and rushed forward, but remained skillfully silent. Pryce, identifiable by his colored left shoulder, ran alongside me with all his attention focused on the main street that led into the village.

"This is Captain Pryce to Star Destroyer, _Justice_" he addressed. "We have confirmation on a Rebel presence. The enemy is hostile"

I broke left with the rest of our squad and moments later we heard the first sounds of battle. A multitude of Rebel heads had appeared over the rooftops above and had begun to unload their clips on the advancing stormtroopers.

"Open fire!" commanded Pryce.

I ran for cover against the side of a building. My body flattened against the rigid wall. Many other troopers did the same. One trooper grabbed a concussion grenade from his belt and hurled it onto the roof. A massive explosion followed, accompanied by an agonizing scream. The source landed in the dirt before my feet. I didn't look at him, but instead moved to my right and around the building. Two troopers in front of me rounded the corner ahead first. Seconds later a torrent of blaster fire intervened, shredding their armor. I stopped just in time to save myself.

More orders came through my helmet's receiver. "Find that transmission post and destroy it".

I was about to poke my head around the building's corner when three more stormtroopers appeared at my side.

"Get me a MIDS!" said one of the troopers. Another trooper responded and threw a Mobile Infantry Deflector Shield around the corner. It was a small black sphere that when thrown, released a round temporary protection for troopers like me in situations like this. After a loud wavering purr from the device I jumped into its cover along with several others near me. Through the shield's transparent protection I spotted the enemy turret nest close ahead. An accurately tossed grenade from one of the faceless enforcers alongside me disposed of it handily. The group rushed forward deeper into the village. I was more hesitant.

Pryce ran past me and hit my shoulder. "Start sweeping houses" he ordered. "They don't want anyone left alive".

I swallowed the meaning of the command and nodded. This village had been declared a Rebel threat, and all traces must be cleared. I walked to my right, on course for a small home.

What was it that the Rebel Alliance was fighting for. Freedom? Justice? Peace? There had been peace after the Clone Wars. Or was it just a clever deception to cover up the Empire's cruelty. Are my morals and feelings really so different from a rebel's. A traitor? A freedom fighter?

I hit the door with the butt of my rifle. Not to my surprise, there was no answer, so I forcibly opened the entrance.

What was it that the Emperor really wanted? Peace in the Galaxy? Sure, that was what I had been told to believe. What he really wanted was power for himself, and himself alone.

I raised my rifle and jumped inside. It was dark. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary save a whimpering sound emitting from the corner of the room. I walked slowly in its direction. Behind a chair was a little girl, whom I assumed to be only ten or so. She broke into tears when she saw me approach. I lowered my gun. Rebel or not, she was an innocent child. I crouched down and held out my hand to try and comfort her, but she only panicked.

"It's okay" I said. "I'm not going to hurt you".

She looked into my dark emotionless visor and I could tell she doubted me. Hell, who wouldn't?

"Get down!" a voice from outside yelled.

I spun toward the open doorway and was greeted by a blast of air, smoke and rubble from an explosion outside the home. The little girl screamed, and I was blown backward onto my back. I recovered and slowly stood back up, now surrounded by a cloud of smoke and dust.

"Clear that house!" ordered an outside voice.

A stormtrooper responded and rushed inside with his rifle poised. He flinched when he spotted me inside.

"Are you alright?" he questioned. "We didn't know someone was already in here".

"I have it under control" I said.

The little girl behind me whimpered and the trooper took notice of her for the first time.

"A civilian!" he shouted, almost sounding excited, but not quite. He stepped forward and raised his gun. The girl screamed. I stepped in front of the trooper and stretched out my arm.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I shouted in shock. "It's just a little girl!".

The trooper now directed his rifle at my head.

"All civilians are to be disposed of" he growled. He raised his rifle just a bit more as if questioning my allegiance.

"Your going to kill an innocent child?" I asked in disbelief.

"If it will cleanse the Empire of treachery, then yes. I will".

He shoved me aside and moved toward the girl.

"NO!" I shouted in protest. Before I knew what was happening the trooper fell dead before my feet. My finger relaxed from the trigger, and I dropped my gun to the floor. I walked over to the girl and put her over my shoulder. She seemed to trust me a little more now, but her body was still tense and shaking. I scooped up my rifle with a trembling hand and made way for the door. I could only hope no one had waited for the trooper to return and say all was 'okay'. It certainly had not been 'okay'.

I exited the house and held my rifle out with one arm. The street seemed to be empty, but the sounds of battle were too close for comfort. I walked quickly toward the way I had come.

What should I do with her? There aren't any other villages for miles. If only I could get to some sort of vehicle I might be able to get her to that one spaceport. What was it called again?

The girl pointed at something behind me and screamed. I swung around to find several stormtroopers pointing at us and talking curiously. One of them was Pryce. I began to back away when they ran toward us.

"142! State your purpose!" said Pryce as he hurried toward me.

"Sir...I...I'm only..." I stuttered in a loss for words.

"All civilians are to be removed. Put her down"

I wasn't sure what I should do. Even if I gave up I'd be killed for deliberately disobeying orders I had already clearly received. That wasn't even including the fact I killed one of my own men.

"Sir. It isn't right. Think about what we're doing" I pleaded.

"You aren't supposed to consider what you are ordered to do, trooper. You just do it.". Pryce raised his rifle to my chest. "I won't ask again".

I raised my rifle to meet his own, but a sudden explosion sent me hurtling away from him. I twirled and landed on my stomach. When I looked up there was a battered old landspeeder of some unknown model hovering just in front of me. A pair of arms reached down from the vehicle and hoisted the girl off of my back. A moment later I too was pulled into the back seat. I gripped my rifle tightly and looked back at the street as we sped off into the plains. Pryce and a few others were already on their feet, attempting to hit us with their rifles. As we moved farther and farther away from the village I got a more climatic view of the battle that seemed to have grown significantly in scale.

I finally turned to inspect my rescuers. Just as I had guessed, they were members of the Rebellion. I could tell by the obvious insignia on their sleeves, and by the trademark helmet most of them within the main army core wore. There were two, and the one riding in the passenger seat spoke to me first.

"Are you loyal to the Empire?" he asked.

I stared at him for a moment and said nothing. I looked at the little girl sitting next to me. She still looked a little unsettled, but this time she gave me a slight smile from the corner of her lip. I slowly pulled of my helmet and looked back at the Rebel.

"No. I am the Rebellion".


End file.
